Ephesians 3:14-21

Filled with the Fullness of God

Ephesians 3:14–21 CSB

For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

What a wonderful prayer!

Be filled with with fullness of God

Christian Standard Bible Psalm 1

He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams

that bears its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 15

Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.

We are all part of a whole family of believers

Paul Prays for 2 things:

We are Strengthened with power through the Spirit

Christ may dwell in our hearts

Strengthened with power through the Spirit

Verse 16

Inner-being

ĕsō (inner) (as compared to exo) anthrōpŏs (man-faced, human)

Look at the inner being of man- not to the point of morbitity, honestly we all deal with these issues.

Jesus prays in the garden with his disciples and what does he say when he finds them?

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 26

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Our hearts are weak - we have fears, worries, doubts, much that comes from our imaginations. Our will weak, they lack resolution.

What a blessing to be strengthened through the spirit.

We are strengthened with His Spirit, this is granted through the riches of His Glory. His righteousness, his glory, his holiness, his justice

Christ may dwell in your hearts

The heart is the center of who we are....

Galatians 2:20 CSB

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

“When Christ manifests himself to us He becomes real to us as a person”- MLJ

Through faith - no faith no Christ

The word here dwell is - abode - that is to take up residency

Are we letting Christ - the messiah - take up residency in our hearts?

So with being Strengthened with power with the Holy Spirit, and having Christ dwelling in our hearts

We will be rooted and firmly established in love

The reason Paul prays these 2 things

Comprehend God’s Love

Know Christ’s Love

In Order that-

1. Comprehend God’s Love

length width, height and depth

understand

2. Know Christ’s love

Not just know about, but to experientially know him

1 Cor 13

Application

Be filled with with fullness of God

John 14:23 CSB

Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Galatians 5:22–23 CSB

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

It is the combination of knowledge and experience coming together.

William Cowper (Poet and hymn writer)

Lord, it is my chief complaint, that my my love is weak and faint.

Doxology